Open Your Eyes
by SINGACTWRITE123
Summary: One shot. Izzie is lonely and needs advice,and, having no one to turn to, she calls upon Denny for help.


**Disclaimer: DON'T OWN IT!**

Her arms wrap around his torso, pulling him tightly to her. She presses the side of her face to his chest inhaling the scent that can only be described as his.

"I know what this means," she whispers. "I know what it means that I can see you."

Her eyes start to open but she quickly shuts them again, afraid of what she would see if she actually allows them to open.

"What does it means?" his gruff voice asks as he nuzzles his face into her hair.

She opens her mouth to answer but freezes and avoids the question instead, afraid to admit it out loud. "Do you know how long it's been since I was held like this?" she whispers. "I missed the feeling of being held like this, being loved."

"You've always been loved," he says, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

"That's not true," she replies with a slight shake of the head. "At the moment I am hated by many people."

"Iz, you know that's not-" he starts but is cut off as she violently shakes her head and hides her face completely in his chest.

"It is true!" she mumbles, her words muffled by his chest. "And you know it!"

She waits a moment and the room falls silent as she catches her breath before she turns her face away from the heat radiating off of him and just listens to his heart beat. She is a bit surprised that it doesn't even speed up at her sudden outburst. He's used to it.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "It's just that... I really miss them...

"So call them," he reasons, running his fingers through her thick hair that ends at her shoulder and then runs his fingers down her back after that, stopping at her hip and resting there.

"They won't want to speak to me," she whispers, sighing as his fingers run back up her back and then down to her hip again. "Meredith was so amazing. She did everything for me. Gave me a place to sleep. Had the best advice. We used to talk before we left for work. She was like my best friend... besides George of course. And then what did I do? I left her."

"Iz," he sighs. "Just give her a call. Tell her you miss her."

"I can't do that. I came back once and she accepted me back with open arms. And then I ran again. Told her I wouldn't stay. But let's not talk about Meredith right now."

"Okay. Then let's changed the subject. Let's talk about why I am really here."

She opens her hand against his chest and watches as her fingers spread out against it.

"I know why you're here," she mumbles. Her heartbeat speeds up and her throat feels too tight to speak. "I miss George," she says suddenly. "He had good advice. I was an idiot for not staying so close to him. Ever since we didn't work out as a couple it was always a bit awkward between us." She squeezes her eyes shut tighter. "That was until I saw his broken body on that bed. It didn't even look like him. HIs hands still felt the same though. That's how I knew it was him. Except for the fact that they were so cold, no matter how hard I tried to warm them in mine, they just stayed all icy like that."

"He misses you," he responds, grabbing the hand on his chest.

"George?" she whispers.

But she can feel him shake his head. "I'm sure he misses you too. But you know who I'm talking about."

She doesn't want to say it out loud, refuses to.

"Alex," he says.

"Nope," Izzie mumbles. "Alex doesn't wanna see me, told me to stay away. He said he loved me but deserved better and I don't disagree. Besides, he's probably furious that I didn't come to visit after he was shot. I can't contact him because he'll ask me."

"Why didn't you go visit him?" he questions, staring the path of running his fingers over her body again.

"I don't know," she shrugs.

"You're lying," he says, sounding frustrated.

"I'm not!" she insists.

"Izzie-

"Denny!" she shouts and his hand freezes on her side. "Drop it."

Not only does he drop the subject but he drops his hand as well, letting her hold him but not doing the same.

"Denny," she whispers softly as a tear runs down her cheeks. "I'm sorry... I...

She trails off and hides her face again. He says nothing but his hand finds its way to side and rests there, giving her the moment that she needs to get herself together.

"If I would have gone back..." she starts, her voice hoarse and raspy. "If I would've seen him... even heard his voice... I never would have been able to get over him again. I love him, and I just want him to be happy... but I have to sacrifice my own happiness for his. Because I'm still in love with him."

His fingers trailed up to her elbow, over her arms, her bare shoulders and stop at the back of her neck. "I know you are," he whispers.

"I heard he has a girlfriend," she says, her voice below a whisper.

"Who told you?" he asks.

"Cristina," she mummbles. "She's the only person who I never exactly was very close to. Which is why- just like when I had cancer- it makes it so much easier just to talk to her. I don't do it very often. But when I do... she told me that Alex called out for me when he nearly died from the bullet. He thought Lexie was me. And as much as I want to believe that he still loves me..." she trails off, taken over by a sob and chokes out the rest of the sentence. "I think it was just an old habit. He's so over me. He's so much happier with Lexie or Lucy or whoever else can take better care of him than I ever could."

He takes a minute before he answers and the only sound that is heard is her soft, broken cries. He rubs her back and tries to sooth her. "Shh. It's okay Iz. I'm here... and I think he still loves you."

She shakes her head but can't find her voice. For the next few minutes, she just cries until she has no tears left. And then the room becomes absolutely silent except for their breathing.

Her voice is so far gone when she speaks again that it's barely a whisper. "I know why you're here," she whispers again. She swallows thickly and rubs the tears form her face away with her hand. "The cancer's back... isn't it."

"Iz," he says. "Think it over. Why am I _really_ here?"

"Cancer," she says again.

"No," he stops her. "We both know that that's not why. We both know that you summoned me here in your mind. You needed someone to talk to. You needed advice."

"But I can see you," she whispers.

"Your eyes are closed," he points out.

"But I can feel you," she says, feeling her breathing speed up.

"Can you _really_ feel me? Or are you just imagining it? You just want to be held."

"That's not true!" she hisses.

He sighs and kisses her head before saying, "Then open your eyes."

She squeezes them shut tightly and covers them with the palms of her hands like a child. "No!" she insists.

"Iz. You know I love you. You know I just want you to be happy, just like you want for _him_. You know you need him. You need all of them. They're your friends. You miss them."

She keeps her hand over her eyes and hides her in his chest.

"Open your eyes," he whispers. "I'm always here if you need me and you know that. Just open your eyes Iz."

She slowly pulls her hands away from her face and takes a deep breath before slowly opening her eyes.

At first, her vision is blurred and she sees nothing. But then her eyes begin to adjust and she looks over to the side to where she thought she had Denny held in her arms, only to find a pillow in his place.

According to the clock, it is five in the morning. She doesn't need to get up for another hour, but her mind is too awake to go back to sleep.

So she stands up and pulls the covers aside, adjusting her nightgown before she heads off towards the bathroom to take a shower and start a new day.

Another day without _him_ in her life.

And as she steps into the shower and lets the water rinse down her skin, she knows Denny is right.

She _does_ miss him.

And she can't imagine living the rest of her life without him.

But what could she do now?

She waited too long.

**A/N: Sooo... I came up with this idea and had to right it. I miss Alex+ Izzie so much.**

**Please review and let me know what you think.**

**Thanks.**


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